For almost 20 years, Zenith Records has quietly been the backbone of Australia’s vinyl scene.
Based in Brunswick East, Melbourne, Zenith is where independent artists, labels, and collectors go when they want a record that actually feels like a record. And now, they’ve taken things to a whole new level.
What makes Zenith stand out is how much happens under one roof. Lacquers are cut on a classic Neumann VMS 70 lathe, metal stampers are made in-house, and pressing happens across a mix of classic manual machines and four new Swedish-built Pheenix Alpha automatics.
Print finishing, sleeve gluing, and even inner sleeve manufacturing are done on-site. Fully integrated, fully Australian, and fully in control – no outsourcing headaches, no international shipping delays.
Zenith has also been the long-time partner for Needle In The Hay, pressing winners’ vinyl each year — but their impact stretches far beyond competitions.
The past year has been transformative. With the new automatic presses, Zenith has tripled output to roughly 6,000 records per week.
Automated plating baths, a dedicated Quality Manager, and near-ready software to compare pressed records to the master have pushed production into the modern age.
Semi-automatic presses are being retooled for 10” records and picture discs, too. Four-week turnarounds on orders up to 10,000 units are now possible – almost unheard of in vinyl.
Zenith also caters to every format, weight, and colour you can imagine, including recycled “eco-mix” vinyl. Trimmings and rejects are regranulated, producing unpredictable but playable colors while lowering the noise floor.
Energy is sourced via green plans, steam condensate is recycled, and all print materials are FSC-certified. Sustainability is baked in without compromising quality – a rarity in vinyl manufacturing.
Nearly two decades in, over three million records pressed, and still innovating, Zenith isn’t just keeping vinyl alive in Australia.
They’re redefining what it can be: a locally made, high-fidelity, eco-conscious product that indie artists and labels can be proud of.
